103 / 180
RU.)I.
127
at a properly-regulated heat; for, if allowed to
stand over, it will deteriorate by acetification.
Dr. Higgins's plan of suspending a basketful of
limestone in the wash-tuns, to counteract the
ascidity, has not, I believe, been found to be of
much use. It would be better to cover up the
wash from the contact of atmospheric air, and
to add, perhaps, a very little sulphite of lime to
it, both of which means would tend to arrest
the acetous fermentation. But one of the best
precautions against the wash becoming sour, is
to preserve the utn1ost cleanliness among all
the vessels in the distillery. They should be
scalded, at the end of every round, with boiling
water and quicklime.
"About
115
gallons of proof-rum are usually
obtained from
1200
gallons of wash. The pro–
portion which the product of rum bears to that
of sugar, in very moist, rich plantations, is
rated by Edwards at 82 gallons of the fonner
to
16 cwt. of the latter; but the more usual
ratio is
200
gallons of rum to 3 hogsheads of